Method of operating a nozzle chamber having radially positioned actuators

ABSTRACT

Provided is a method of operating a nozzle chamber. The nozzle chamber has a wafer defining a chamber with an ink ejection port and ink supply channel along with a plurality of radially positioned actuators about the port. Each actuator has an internal serpentine core arranged in signal communication with a CMOS layer on the wafer. The method includes the steps of supplying the chamber with ink via the ink supply channel, and passing current through the serpentine cores for a predetermined period of time. The current produces thermal expansion of the actuators into the chamber to increase a chamber ink pressure to eject ink from the ejection port.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/635,524 filed on Dec. 8, 2006, which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/450,445 filed on Jun. 12, 2006, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,498, which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/000,936 filed on Dec. 2, 2004, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,494, which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/854,830 filed on May 15, 2001, now issued U.S. Pat. No. 7,021,746, which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/112,806 filed on Jul. 10, 1998, now issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,790 all of which are herein incorporated by reference.

The following Australian provisional patent applications are hereby incorporated by cross-reference. For the purposes of location and identification, US patent applications identified by their US patent application serial numbers (USSN) are listed alongside the Australian applications from which the US patent applications claim the right of priority.

U.S. Pat. No./patent application (CLAIMING CROSS-REFERENCED RIGHT OF PRIORITY AUSTRALIAN FROM AUSTRALIAN PROVISIONAL PATENT PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NO. APPLICATION) PO7991 6,750,901 PO8505 6,476,863 PO7988 6,788,336 PO9395 6,322,181 PO8017 6,597,817 PO8014 6,227,648 PO8025 6,727,948 PO8032 6,690,419 PO7999 6,727,951 PO8030 6,196,541 PO7997 6,195,150 PO7979 6,362,868 PO7978 6,831,681 PO7982 6,431,669 PO7989 6,362,869 PO8019 6,472,052 PO7980 6,356,715 PO8018 6,894,694 PO7938 6,636,216 PO8016 6,366,693 PO8024 6,329,990 PO7939 6,459,495 PO8501 6,137,500 PO8500 6,690,416 PO7987 7,050,143 PO8022 6,398,328 PO8497 7,110,024 PO8020 6,431,704 PO8504 6,879,341 PO8000 6,415,054 PO7934 6,665,454 PO7990 6,542,645 PO8499 6,486,886 PO8502 6,381,361 PO7981 6,317,192 PO7986 6,850,274 PO7983 09/113,054 PO8026 6,646,757 PO8028 6,624,848 PO9394 6,357,135 PO9397 6,271,931 PO9398 6,353,772 PO9399 6,106,147 PO9400 6,665,008 PO9401 6,304,291 PO9403 6,305,770 PO9405 6,289,262 PP0959 6,315,200 PP1397 6,217,165 PP2370 6,786,420 PO8003 6,350,023 PO8005 6,318,849 PO8066 6,227,652 PO8072 6,213,588 PO8040 6,213,589 PO8071 6,231,163 PO8047 6,247,795 PO8035 6,394,581 PO8044 6,244,691 PO8063 6,257,704 PO8057 6,416,168 PO8056 6,220,694 PO8069 6,257,705 PO8049 6,247,794 PO8036 6,234,610 PO8048 6,247,793 PO8070 6,264,306 PO8067 6,241,342 PO8001 6,247,792 PO8038 6,264,307 PO8033 6,254,220 PO8002 6,234,611 PO8068 6,302,528 PO8062 6,283,582 PO8034 6,239,821 PO8039 6,338,547 PO8041 6,247,796 PO8004 6,557,977 PO8037 6,390,603 PO8043 6,362,843 PO8042 6,293,653 PO8064 6,312,107 PO9389 6,227,653 PO9391 6,234,609 PP0888 6,238,040 PP0891 6,188,415 PP0890 6,227,654 PP0873 6,209,989 PP0993 6,247,791 PP0890 6,336,710 PP1398 6,217,153 PP2592 6,416,167 PP2593 6,243,113 PP3991 6,283,581 PP3987 6,247,790 PP3985 6,260,953 PP3983 6,267,469 PO7935 6,224,780 PO7936 6,235,212 PO7937 6,280,643 PO8061 6,284,147 PO8054 6,214,244 PO8065 6,071,750 PO8055 6,267,905 PO8053 6,251,298 PO8078 6,258,285 PO7933 6,225,138 PO7950 6,241,904 PO7949 6,299,786 PO8060 6,866,789 PO8059 6,231,773 PO8073 6,190,931 PO8076 6,248,249 PO8075 6,290,862 PO8079 6,241,906 PO8050 6,565,762 PO8052 6,241,905 PO7948 6,451,216 PO7951 6,231,772 PO8074 6,274,056 PO7941 6,290,861 PO8077 6,248,248 PO8058 6,306,671 PO8051 6,331,258 PO8045 6,110,754 PO7952 6,294,101 PO8046 6,416,679 PO9390 6,264,849 PO9392 6,254,793 PP0889 6,235,211 PP0887 6,491,833 PP0882 6,264,850 PP0874 6,258,284 PP1396 6,312,615 PP3989 6,228,668 PP2591 6,180,427 PP3990 6,171,875 PP3986 6,267,904 PP3984 6,245,247 PP3982 6,315,914 PP0895 6,231,148 PP0869 6,293,658 PP0887 6,614,560 PP0885 6,238,033 PP0884 6,312,070 PP0886 6,238,111 PP0877 6,378,970 PP0878 6,196,739 PP0883 6,270,182 PP0880 6,152,619 PO8006 6,087,638 PO8007 6,340,222 PO8010 6,041,600 PO8011 6,299,300 PO7947 6,067,797 PO7944 6,286,935 PO7946 6,044,646 PP0894 6,382,769

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of inkjet printing and, in particular, discloses an inverted radial back-curling thermoelastic ink jet printing mechanism.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many different types of printing mechanisms have been invented, a large number of which are presently in use. The known forms of printers have a variety of methods for marking the print media with a relevant marking media. Commonly used forms of printing include offset printing, laser printing and copying devices, dot matrix type impact printers, thermal paper printers, film recorders, thermal wax printers, dye sublimation printers and ink jet printers both of the drop on demand and continuous flow type. Each type of printer has its own advantages and problems when considering cost, speed, quality, reliability, simplicity of construction and operation etc.

In recent years the field of ink jet printing, wherein each individual pixel of ink is derived from one or more ink nozzles, has become increasingly popular primarily due to its inexpensive and versatile nature.

Many different techniques of ink jet printing have been invented. For a survey of the field, reference is made to an article by J Moore, “Non-Impact Printing: Introduction and Historical Perspective”, Output Hard Copy Devices, Editors R Dubeck and S Sherr, pages 207-220 (1988).

Ink Jet printers themselves come in many different forms. The utilization of a continuous stream of ink in ink jet printing appears to date back to at least 1929 wherein U.S. Pat. No. 1,941,001 by Hansell discloses a simple form of continuous stream electro-static ink jet printing.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,275 by Sweet also discloses a process of a continuous ink jet printing including a step wherein the ink jet stream is modulated by a high frequency electrostatic field so as to cause drop separation. This technique is still utilized by several manufacturers including Elmjet and Scitex (see also U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,437 by Sweet et al).

Piezoelectric ink jet printers are also one form of commonly utilized ink jet printing device. Piezoelectric systems are disclosed by Kyser et. al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,398 (1970) which utilizes a diaphragm mode of operation, by Zolten in U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,212 (1970) which discloses a squeeze mode form of operation of a piezoelectric crystal, Stemme in U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,120 (1972) which discloses a bend mode of piezoelectric operation, Howkins in U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,601 which discloses a piezoelectric push mode actuation of the ink jet stream and Fischbeck in U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,590 which discloses a shear mode type of piezoelectric transducer element.

Recently, thermal ink jet printing has become an extremely popular form of ink jet printing. The ink jet printing techniques include those disclosed by Endo et al in GB 2007162 (1979) and Vaught et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,728. Both the aforementioned references disclose ink jet printing techniques which rely on the activation of an electrothermal actuator which results in the creation of a bubble in a constricted space, such as a nozzle, which thereby causes the ejection of ink from an aperture connected to the confined space onto a relevant print media. Printing devices utilizing the electro-thermal actuator are manufactured by manufacturers such as Canon and Hewlett Packard.

As can be seen from the foregoing, many different types of printing technologies are available. Ideally, a printing technology should have a number of desirable attributes. These include inexpensive construction and operation, high speed operation, safe and continuous long term operation etc. Each technology may have its own advantages and disadvantages in the areas of cost, speed, quality, reliability, power usage, simplicity of construction and operation, durability and consumables.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a nozzle arrangement for an ink jet printhead, the arrangement comprising: a nozzle chamber defined in a wafer substrate for the storage of ink to be ejected; an ink ejection port having a rim formed on one wall of the chamber; and a series of actuators attached to the wafer substrate, and forming a portion of the wall of the nozzle chamber adjacent the rim, the actuator paddles further being actuated in unison so as to eject ink from the nozzle chamber via the ink ejection nozzle.

The actuators can include a surface which bends inwards away from the centre of the nozzle chamber upon actuation. The actuators are preferably actuated by means of a thermal actuator device. The thermal actuator device may comprise a conductive resistive heating element encased within a material having a high coefficient of thermal expansion. The element can be serpentine to allow for substantially unhindered expansion of the material. The actuators are preferably arranged radially around the nozzle rim.

The actuators can form a membrane between the nozzle chamber and an external atmosphere of the arrangement and the actuators bend away from the external atmosphere to cause an increase in pressure within the nozzle chamber thereby initiating a consequential ejection of ink from the nozzle chamber. The actuators can bend away from a central axis of the nozzle chamber.

The nozzle arrangement can be formed on the wafer substrate utilizing micro-electro mechanical techniques and further can comprise an ink supply channel in communication with the nozzle chamber. The ink supply channel may be etched through the wafer. The nozzle arrangement may include a series of struts which support the nozzle rim.

The arrangement can be formed adjacent to neighbouring arrangements so as to form a pagewidth printhead.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred forms of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1-3 are schematic sectional views illustrating the operational principles of the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4( a) and FIG. 4( b) are again schematic sections illustrating the operational principles of the thermal actuator device;

FIG. 5 is a side perspective view, partly in section, of a single nozzle arrangement constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiments;

FIGS. 6-13 are side perspective views, partly in section, illustrating the manufacturing steps of the preferred embodiments;

FIG. 14 illustrates an array of ink jet nozzles formed in accordance with the manufacturing procedures of the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 15 provides a legend of the materials indicated in FIGS. 16 to 23; and

FIG. 16 to FIG. 23 illustrate sectional views of the manufacturing steps in one form of construction of a nozzle arrangement in accordance with the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED AND OTHER EMBODIMENTS

In the preferred embodiment, ink is ejected out of a nozzle chamber via an ink ejection port using a series of radially positioned thermal actuator devices that are arranged about the ink ejection port and are activated to pressurize the ink within the nozzle chamber thereby causing the ejection of ink through the ejection port.

Turning now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is illustrated the basic operational principles of the preferred embodiment. FIG. 1 illustrates a single nozzle arrangement 1 in its quiescent state. The arrangement 1 includes a nozzle chamber 2 which is normally filled with ink so as to form a meniscus 3 in an ink ejection port 4. The nozzle chamber 2 is formed within a wafer 5. The nozzle chamber 2 is supplied with ink via an ink supply channel 6 which is etched through the wafer 5 with a highly isotropic plasma etching system. A suitable etcher can be the Advance Silicon Etch (ASE) system available from Surface Technology Systems of the United Kingdom.

A top of the nozzle arrangement 1 includes a series of radially positioned actuators 8, 9. These actuators comprise a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) layer and an internal serpentine copper core 17. Upon heating of the copper core 17, the surrounding PTFE expands rapidly resulting in a generally downward movement of the actuators 8, 9. Hence, when it is desired to eject ink from the ink ejection port 4, a current is passed through the actuators 8, 9 which results in them bending generally downwards as illustrated in FIG. 2. The downward bending movement of the actuators 8, 9 results in a substantial increase in pressure within the nozzle chamber 2. The increase in pressure in the nozzle chamber 2 results in an expansion of the meniscus 3 as illustrated in FIG. 2.

The actuators 8, 9 are activated only briefly and subsequently deactivated. Consequently, the situation is as illustrated in FIG. 3 with the actuators 8, 9 returning to their original positions. This results in a general inflow of ink back into the nozzle chamber 2 and a necking and breaking of the meniscus 3 resulting in the ejection of a drop 12. The necking and breaking of the meniscus 3 is a consequence of the forward momentum of the ink associated with drop 12 and the backward pressure experienced as a result of the return of the actuators 8, 9 to their original positions. The return of the actuators 8,9 also results in a general inflow of ink from the channel 6 as a result of surface tension effects and, eventually, the state returns to the quiescent position as illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4( a) and 4(b) illustrate the principle of operation of the thermal actuator. The thermal actuator is preferably constructed from a material 14 having a high coefficient of thermal expansion. Embedded within the material 14 are a series of heater elements 15 which can be a series of conductive elements designed to carry a current. The conductive elements 15 are heated by passing a current through the elements 15 with the heating resulting in a general increase in temperature in the area around the heating elements 15. The position of the elements 15 is such that uneven heating of the material 14 occurs. The uneven increase in temperature causes a corresponding uneven expansion of the material 14. Hence, as illustrated in FIG. 4( b), the PTFE is bent generally in the direction shown.

In FIG. 5, there is illustrated a side perspective view of one embodiment of a nozzle arrangement constructed in accordance with the principles previously outlined. The nozzle chamber 2 is formed with an isotropic surface etch of the wafer 5. The wafer 5 can include a CMOS layer including all the required power and drive circuits. Further, the actuators 8, 9 each have a leaf or petal formation which extends towards a nozzle rim 28 defining the ejection port 4. The normally inner end of each leaf or petal formation is displaceable with respect to the nozzle rim 28. Each activator 8, 9 has an internal copper core 17 defining the element 15. The core 17 winds in a serpentine manner to provide for substantially unhindered expansion of the actuators 8, 9. The operation of the actuators 8, 9 is as illustrated in FIG. 4( a) and FIG. 4( b) such that, upon activation, the actuators 8 bend as previously described resulting in a displacement of each petal formation away from the nozzle rim 28 and into the nozzle chamber 2. The ink supply channel 6 can be created via a deep silicon back edge of the wafer 5 utilizing a plasma etcher or the like. The copper or aluminium core 17 can provide a complete circuit. A central arm 18 which can include both metal and PTFE portions provides the main structural support for the actuators 8, 9.

Turning now to FIG. 6 to FIG. 13, one form of manufacture of the nozzle arrangement 1 in accordance with the principles of the preferred embodiment is shown. The nozzle arrangement 1 is preferably manufactured using microelectromechanical (MEMS) techniques and can include the following construction techniques:

As shown initially in FIG. 6, the initial processing starting material is a standard semi-conductor wafer 20 having a complete CMOS level 21 to a first level of metal. The first level of metal includes portions 22 which are utilized for providing power to the thermal actuators 8, 9.

The first step, as illustrated in FIG. 7, is to etch a nozzle region down to the silicon wafer 20 utilizing an appropriate mask.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 8, a 2 μm layer of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is deposited and etched so as to define vias 24 for interconnecting multiple levels.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the second level metal layer is deposited, masked and etched to define a heater structure 25. The heater structure 25 includes via 26 interconnected with a lower aluminium layer.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 10, a further 2 μm layer of PTFE is deposited and etched to the depth of 1 μm utilizing a nozzle rim mask to define the nozzle rim 28 in addition to ink flow guide rails 29 which generally restrain any wicking along the surface of the PTFE layer. The guide rails 29 surround small thin slots and, as such, surface tension effects are a lot higher around these slots which in turn results in minimal outflow of ink during operation.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the PTFE is etched utilizing a nozzle and actuator mask to define a port portion 30 and slots 31 and 32.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 12, the wafer is crystallographically etched on a <111> plane utilizing a standard crystallographic etchant such as KOH. The etching forms a chamber 33, directly below the port portion 30.

In FIG. 13, the ink supply channel 34 can be etched from the back of the wafer utilizing a highly anisotropic etcher such as the STS etcher from Silicon Technology Systems of United Kingdom. An array of ink jet nozzles can be formed simultaneously with a portion of an array 36 being illustrated in FIG. 14. A portion of the printhead is formed simultaneously and diced by the STS etching process. The array 36 shown provides for four column printing with each separate column attached to a different colour ink supply channel being supplied from the back of the wafer. Bond pads 37 provide for electrical control of the ejection mechanism.

In this manner, large pagewidth printheads can be fabricated so as to provide for a drop-on-demand ink ejection mechanism.

One form of detailed manufacturing process which can be used to fabricate monolithic ink jet printheads operating in accordance with the principles taught by the present embodiment can proceed utilizing the following steps:

1. Using a double-sided polished wafer 60, complete a 0.5 micron, one poly, 2 metal CMOS process 61. This step is shown in FIG. 16. For clarity, these diagrams may not be to scale, and may not represent a cross section though any single plane of the nozzle. FIG. 15 is a key to representations of various materials in these manufacturing diagrams, and those of other cross referenced ink jet configurations.

2. Etch the CMOS oxide layers down to silicon or second level metal using Mask 1. This mask defines the nozzle cavity and the edge of the chips. This step is shown in FIG. 16.

3. Deposit a thin layer (not shown) of a hydrophilic polymer, and treat the surface of this polymer for PTFE adherence.

4. Deposit 1.5 microns of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) 62.

5. Etch the PTFE and CMOS oxide layers to second level metal using Mask 2. This mask defines the contact vias for the heater electrodes. This step is shown in FIG. 17.

6. Deposit and pattern 0.5 microns of gold 63 using a lift-off process using Mask 3.

This mask defines the heater pattern. This step is shown in FIG. 18.

7. Deposit 1.5 microns of PTFE 64.

8. Etch 1 micron of PTFE using Mask 4. This mask defines the nozzle rim 65 and the rim at the edge 66 of the nozzle chamber. This step is shown in FIG. 19.

9. Etch both layers of PTFE and the thin hydrophilic layer down to silicon using Mask 5. This mask defines a gap 67 at inner edges of the actuators, and the edge of the chips. It also forms the mask for a subsequent crystallographic etch. This step is shown in FIG. 20.

10. Crystallographically etch the exposed silicon using KOH. This etch stops on <111> crystallographic planes 68, forming an inverted square pyramid with sidewall angles of 54.74 degrees. This step is shown in FIG. 21.

11. Back-etch through the silicon wafer (with, for example, an ASE Advanced Silicon Etcher from Surface Technology Systems) using Mask 6. This mask defines the ink inlets 69 which are etched through the wafer. The wafer is also diced by this etch. This step is shown in FIG. 22.

12. Mount the printheads in their packaging, which may be a molded plastic former incorporating ink channels which supply the appropriate color ink to the ink inlets 69 at the back of the wafer.

13. Connect the printheads to their interconnect systems. For a low profile connection with minimum disruption of airflow, TAB may be used. Wire bonding may also be used if the printer is to be operated with sufficient clearance to the paper.

14. Fill the completed print heads with ink 70 and test them. A filled nozzle is shown in FIG. 23.

The presently disclosed ink jet printing technology is potentially suited to a wide range of printing systems including: color and monochrome office printers, short run digital printers, high speed digital printers, offset press supplemental printers, low cost scanning printers high speed pagewidth printers, notebook computers with inbuilt pagewidth printers, portable color and monochrome printers, color and monochrome copiers, color and monochrome facsimile machines, combined printer, facsimile and copying machines, label printers, large format plotters, photograph copiers, printers for digital photographic “minilabs”, video printers, PHOTO CD (PHOTO CD is a registered trade mark of the Eastman Kodak Company) printers, portable printers for PDAs, wallpaper printers, indoor sign printers, billboard printers, fabric printers, camera printers and fault tolerant commercial printer arrays.

It would be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the present invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive.

Ink Jet Technologies

The embodiments of the invention use an ink jet printer type device. Of course many different devices could be used. However presently popular ink jet printing technologies are unlikely to be suitable.

The most significant problem with thermal ink jet is power consumption. This is approximately 100 times that required for high speed, and stems from the energy-inefficient means of drop ejection. This involves the rapid boiling of water to produce a vapor bubble which expels the ink. Water has a very high heat capacity, and must be superheated in thermal ink jet applications. This leads to an efficiency of around 0.02%, from electricity input to drop momentum (and increased surface area) out.

The most significant problem with piezoelectric ink jet is size and cost. Piezoelectric crystals have a very small deflection at reasonable drive voltages, and therefore require a large area for each nozzle. Also, each piezoelectric actuator must be connected to its drive circuit on a separate substrate. This is not a significant problem at the current limit of around 300 nozzles per printhead, but is a major impediment to the fabrication of pagewidth printheads with 19,200 nozzles.

Ideally, the ink jet technologies used meet the stringent requirements of in-camera digital color printing and other high quality, high speed, low cost printing applications. To meet the requirements of digital photography, new ink jet technologies have been created. The target features include:

low power (less than 10 Watts)

high resolution capability (1,600 dpi or more)

photographic quality output

low manufacturing cost

small size (pagewidth times minimum cross section)

high speed (<2 seconds per page).

All of these features can be met or exceeded by the ink jet systems described below with differing levels of difficulty. Forty-five different ink jet technologies have been developed by the Assignee to give a wide range of choices for high volume manufacture. These technologies form part of separate applications assigned to the present Assignee as set out in the table below under the heading Cross References to Related Applications.

The ink jet designs shown here are suitable for a wide range of digital printing systems, from battery powered one-time use digital cameras, through to desktop and network printers, and through to commercial printing systems.

For ease of manufacture using standard process equipment, the printhead is designed to be a monolithic 0.5 micron CMOS chip with MEMS post processing. For color photographic applications, the printhead is 100 mm long, with a width which depends upon the ink jet type. The smallest printhead designed is IJ38, which is 0.35 mm wide, giving a chip area of 35 square mm. The printheads each contain 19,200 nozzles plus data and control circuitry.

Ink is supplied to the back of the printhead by injection molded plastic ink channels. The molding requires 50 micron features, which can be created using a lithographically micromachined insert in a standard injection molding tool. Ink flows through holes etched through the wafer to the nozzle chambers fabricated on the front surface of the wafer. The printhead is connected to the camera circuitry by tape automated bonding.

Tables of Drop-on-Demand Ink Jets

Eleven important characteristics of the fundamental operation of individual ink jet nozzles have been identified. These characteristics are largely orthogonal, and so can be elucidated as an eleven dimensional matrix. Most of the eleven axes of this matrix include entries developed by the present assignee.

The following tables form the axes of an eleven dimensional table of ink jet types.

Actuator mechanism (18 types)

Basic operation mode (7 types)

Auxiliary mechanism (8 types)

Actuator amplification or modification method (17 types)

Actuator motion (19 types)

Nozzle refill method (4 types)

Method of restricting back-flow through inlet (10 types)

Nozzle clearing method (9 types)

Nozzle plate construction (9 types)

Drop ejection direction (5 types)

Ink type (7 types)

The complete eleven dimensional table represented by these axes contains 36.9 billion possible configurations of ink jet nozzle. While not all of the possible combinations result in a viable ink jet technology, many million configurations are viable. It is clearly impractical to elucidate all of the possible configurations. Instead, certain ink jet types have been investigated in detail. These are designated IJ01 to IJ45 above which matches the docket numbers in the table under the heading Cross References to Related Applications.

Other ink jet configurations can readily be derived from these forty-five examples by substituting alternative configurations along one or more of the 11 axes. Most of the IJ01 to IJ45 examples can be made into ink jet printheads with characteristics superior to any currently available ink jet technology.

Where there are prior art examples known to the inventor, one or more of these examples are listed in the examples column of the tables below. The IJ01 to IJ45 series are also listed in the examples column. In some cases, print technology may be listed more than once in a table, where it shares characteristics with more than one entry.

Suitable applications for the ink jet technologies include: Home printers, Office network printers, Short run digital printers, Commercial print systems, Fabric printers, Pocket printers, Internet WWW printers, Video printers, Medical imaging, Wide format printers, Notebook PC printers, Fax machines, Industrial printing systems, Photocopiers, Photographic minilabs etc.

The information associated with the aforementioned 11 dimensional matrix are set out in the following tables.

ACTUATOR MECHANISM (APPLIED ONLY TO SELECTED INK DROPS) Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Thermal An electrothermal Large force High power Canon Bubblejet bubble heater heats the ink to generated Ink carrier 1979 Endo et al GB above boiling point, Simple limited to water patent 2,007,162 transferring significant construction Low efficiency Xerox heater-in- heat to the aqueous No moving parts High pit 1990 Hawkins et ink. A bubble Fast operation temperatures al U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,181 nucleates and quickly Small chip area required Hewlett-Packard forms, expelling the required for actuator High mechanical TIJ 1982 Vaught et ink. stress al U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,728 The efficiency of the Unusual process is low, with materials required typically less than Large drive 0.05% of the electrical transistors energy being Cavitation causes transformed into actuator failure kinetic energy of the Kogation reduces drop. bubble formation Large print heads are difficult to fabricate Piezoelectric A piezoelectric crystal Low power Very large area Kyser et al U.S. Pat. No. such as lead consumption required for actuator 3,946,398 lanthanum zirconate Many ink types Difficult to Zoltan U.S. Pat. No. (PZT) is electrically can be used integrate with 3,683,212 activated, and either Fast operation electronics 1973 Stemme expands, shears, or High efficiency High voltage U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,120 bends to apply drive transistors Epson Stylus pressure to the ink, required Tektronix ejecting drops. Full pagewidth IJ04 print heads impractical due to actuator size Requires electrical poling in high field strengths during manufacture Electro- An electric field is Low power Low maximum Seiko Epson, strictive used to activate consumption strain (approx. Usui et all JP electrostriction in Many ink types 0.01%) 253401/96 relaxor materials such can be used Large area IJ04 as lead lanthanum Low thermal required for actuator zirconate titanate expansion due to low strain (PLZT) or lead Electric field Response speed magnesium niobate strength required is marginal (~10 μs) (PMN). (approx. 3.5 V/μm) High voltage can be generated drive transistors without difficulty required Does not require Full pagewidth electrical poling print heads impractical due to actuator size Ferroelectric An electric field is Low power Difficult to IJ04 used to induce a phase consumption integrate with transition between the Many ink types electronics antiferroelectric (AFE) can be used Unusual and ferroelectric (FE) Fast operation materials such as phase. Perovskite (<1 μs) PLZSnT are materials such as tin Relatively high required modified lead longitudinal strain Actuators require lanthanum zirconate High efficiency a large area titanate (PLZSnT) Electric field exhibit large strains of strength of around 3 V/μm up to 1% associated can be readily with the AFE to FE provided phase transition. Electrostatic Conductive plates are Low power Difficult to IJ02, IJ04 plates separated by a consumption operate electrostatic compressible or fluid Many ink types devices in an dielectric (usually air). can be used aqueous Upon application of a Fast operation environment voltage, the plates The electrostatic attract each other and actuator will displace ink, causing normally need to be drop ejection. The separated from the conductive plates may ink be in a comb or Very large area honeycomb structure, required to achieve or stacked to increase high forces the surface area and High voltage therefore the force. drive transistors may be required Full pagewidth print heads are not competitive due to actuator size Electrostatic A strong electric field Low current High voltage 1989 Saito et al, pull is applied to the ink, consumption required U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,068 on ink whereupon Low temperature May be damaged 1989 Miura et al, electrostatic attraction by sparks due to air U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,954 accelerates the ink breakdown Tone-jet towards the print Required field medium. strength increases as the drop size decreases High voltage drive transistors required Electrostatic field attracts dust Permanent An electromagnet Low power Complex IJ07, IJ10 magnet directly attracts a consumption fabrication electro- permanent magnet, Many ink types Permanent magnetic displacing ink and can be used magnetic material causing drop ejection. Fast operation such as Neodymium Rare earth magnets High efficiency Iron Boron (NdFeB) with a field strength Easy extension required. around 1 Tesla can be from single nozzles High local used. Examples are: to pagewidth print currents required Samarium Cobalt heads Copper (SaCo) and magnetic metalization should materials in the be used for long neodymium iron boron electromigration family (NdFeB, lifetime and low NdDyFeBNb, resistivity NdDyFeB, etc) Pigmented inks are usually infeasible Operating temperature limited to the Curie temperature (around 540 K) Soft A solenoid induced a Low power Complex IJ01, IJ05, IJ08, magnetic magnetic field in a soft consumption fabrication IJ10, IJ12, IJ14, core electro- magnetic core or yoke Many ink types Materials not IJ15, IJ17 magnetic fabricated from a can be used usually present in a ferrous material such Fast operation CMOS fab such as as electroplated iron High efficiency NiFe, CoNiFe, or alloys such as CoNiFe Easy extension CoFe are required [1], CoFe, or NiFe from single nozzles High local alloys. Typically, the to pagewidth print currents required soft magnetic material heads Copper is in two parts, which metalization should are normally held be used for long apart by a spring. electromigration When the solenoid is lifetime and low actuated, the two parts resistivity attract, displacing the Electroplating is ink. required High saturation flux density is required (2.0-2.1 T is achievable with CoNiFe [1]) Lorenz The Lorenz force Low power Force acts as a IJ06, IJ11, IJ13, force acting on a current consumption twisting motion IJ16 carrying wire in a Many ink types Typically, only a magnetic field is can be used quarter of the utilized. Fast operation solenoid length This allows the High efficiency provides force in a magnetic field to be Easy extension useful direction supplied externally to from single nozzles High local the print head, for to pagewidth print currents required example with rare heads Copper earth permanent metalization should magnets. be used for long Only the current electromigration carrying wire need be lifetime and low fabricated on the print- resistivity head, simplifying Pigmented inks materials are usually requirements. infeasible Magneto- The actuator uses the Many ink types Force acts as a Fischenbeck, striction giant magnetostrictive can be used twisting motion U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,929 effect of materials Fast operation Unusual IJ25 such as Terfenol-D (an Easy extension materials such as alloy of terbium, from single nozzles Terfenol-D are dysprosium and iron to pagewidth print required developed at the Naval heads High local Ordnance Laboratory, High force is currents required hence Ter-Fe-NOL). available Copper For best efficiency, the metalization should actuator should be pre- be used for long stressed to approx. 8 MPa. electromigration lifetime and low resistivity Pre-stressing may be required Surface Ink under positive Low power Requires Silverbrook, EP tension pressure is held in a consumption supplementary force 0771 658 A2 and reduction nozzle by surface Simple to effect drop related patent tension. The surface construction separation applications tension of the ink is No unusual Requires special reduced below the materials required in ink surfactants bubble threshold, fabrication Speed may be causing the ink to High efficiency limited by surfactant egress from the Easy extension properties nozzle. from single nozzles to pagewidth print heads Viscosity The ink viscosity is Simple Requires Silverbrook, EP reduction locally reduced to construction supplementary force 0771 658 A2 and select which drops are No unusual to effect drop related patent to be ejected. A materials required in separation applications viscosity reduction can fabrication Requires special be achieved Easy extension ink viscosity electrothermally with from single nozzles properties most inks, but special to pagewidth print High speed is inks can be engineered heads difficult to achieve for a 100:1 viscosity Requires reduction. oscillating ink pressure A high temperature difference (typically 80 degrees) is required Acoustic An acoustic wave is Can operate Complex drive 1993 Hadimioglu generated and without a nozzle circuitry et al, EUP 550,192 focussed upon the plate Complex 1993 Elrod et al, drop ejection region. fabrication EUP 572,220 Low efficiency Poor control of drop position Poor control of drop volume Thermo- An actuator which Low power Efficient aqueous IJ03, IJ09, IJ17, elastic bend relies upon differential consumption operation requires a IJ18, IJ19, IJ20, actuator thermal expansion Many ink types thermal insulator on IJ21, IJ22, IJ23, upon Joule heating is can be used the hot side IJ24, IJ27, IJ28, used. Simple planar Corrosion IJ29, IJ30, IJ31, fabrication prevention can be IJ32, IJ33, IJ34, Small chip area difficult IJ35, IJ36, IJ37, required for each Pigmented inks IJ38, IJ39, IJ40, actuator may be infeasible, IJ41 Fast operation as pigment particles High efficiency may jam the bend CMOS actuator compatible voltages and currents Standard MEMS processes can be used Easy extension from single nozzles to pagewidth print heads High CTE A material with a very High force can Requires special IJ09, IJ17, IJ18, thermo- high coefficient of be generated material (e.g. PTFE) IJ20, IJ21, IJ22, elastic thermal expansion Three methods of Requires a PTFE IJ23, IJ24, IJ27, actuator (CTE) such as PTFE deposition are deposition process, IJ28, IJ29, IJ30, polytetrafluoroethylene under development: which is not yet IJ31, IJ42, IJ43, (PTFE) is used. As chemical vapor standard in ULSI IJ44 high CTE materials deposition (CVD), fabs are usually non- spin coating, and PTFE deposition conductive, a heater evaporation cannot be followed fabricated from a PTFE is a with high conductive material is candidate for low temperature (above incorporated. A 50 μm dielectric constant 350° C.) processing long PTFE bend insulation in ULSI Pigmented inks actuator with Very low power may be infeasible, polysilicon heater and consumption as pigment particles 15 mW power input Many ink types may jam the bend can provide 180 μN can be used actuator force and 10 μm Simple planar deflection. Actuator fabrication motions include: Small chip area Bend required for each Push actuator Buckle Fast operation Rotate High efficiency CMOS compatible voltages and currents Easy extension from single nozzles to pagewidth print heads Conductive A polymer with a high High force can Requires special IJ24 polymer coefficient of thermal be generated materials thermo- expansion (such as Very low power development (High elastic PTFE) is doped with consumption CTE conductive actuator conducting substances Many ink types polymer) to increase its can be used Requires a PTFE conductivity to about 3 Simple planar deposition process, orders of magnitude fabrication which is not yet below that of copper. Small chip area standard in ULSI The conducting required for each fabs polymer expands actuator PTFE deposition when resistively Fast operation cannot be followed heated. High efficiency with high Examples of CMOS temperature (above conducting dopants compatible voltages 350° C.) processing include: and currents Evaporation and Carbon nanotubes Easy extension CVD deposition Metal fibers from single nozzles techniques cannot Conductive polymers to pagewidth print be used such as doped heads Pigmented inks polythiophene may be infeasible, Carbon granules as pigment particles may jam the bend actuator Shape A shape memory alloy High force is Fatigue limits IJ26 memory such as TiNi (also available (stresses maximum number alloy known as Nitinol - of hundreds of MPa) of cycles Nickel Titanium alloy Large strain is Low strain (1%) developed at the Naval available (more than is required to extend Ordnance Laboratory) 3%) fatigue resistance is thermally switched High corrosion Cycle rate between its weak resistance limited by heat martensitic state and Simple removal its high stiffness construction Requires unusual austenic state. The Easy extension materials (TiNi) shape of the actuator from single nozzles The latent heat of in its martensitic state to pagewidth print transformation must is deformed relative to heads be provided the austenic shape. Low voltage High current The shape change operation operation causes ejection of a Requires pre- drop. stressing to distort the martensitic state Linear Linear magnetic Linear Magnetic Requires unusual IJ12 Magnetic actuators include the actuators can be semiconductor Actuator Linear Induction constructed with materials such as Actuator (LIA), Linear high thrust, long soft magnetic alloys Permanent Magnet travel, and high (e.g. CoNiFe) Synchronous Actuator efficiency using Some varieties (LPMSA), Linear planar also require Reluctance semiconductor permanent magnetic Synchronous Actuator fabrication materials such as (LRSA), Linear techniques Neodymium iron Switched Reluctance Long actuator boron (NdFeB) Actuator (LSRA), and travel is available Requires the Linear Stepper Medium force is complex multi- Actuator (LSA). available phase drive circuitry Low voltage High current operation operation

BASIC OPERATION MODE Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Actuator This is the simplest Simple operation Drop repetition Thermal ink jet directly mode of operation: the No external rate is usually Piezoelectric ink pushes ink actuator directly fields required limited to around 10 kHz. jet supplies sufficient Satellite drops However, this IJ01, IJ02, IJ03, kinetic energy to expel can be avoided if is not fundamental IJ04, IJ05, IJ06, the drop. The drop drop velocity is less to the method, but is IJ07, IJ09, IJ11, must have a sufficient than 4 m/s related to the refill IJ12, IJ14, IJ16, velocity to overcome Can be efficient, method normally IJ20, IJ22, IJ23, the surface tension. depending upon the used IJ24, IJ25, IJ26, actuator used All of the drop IJ27, IJ28, IJ29, kinetic energy must IJ30, IJ31, IJ32, be provided by the IJ33, IJ34, IJ35, actuator IJ36, IJ37, IJ38, Satellite drops IJ39, IJ40, IJ41, usually form if drop IJ42, IJ43, IJ44 velocity is greater than 4.5 m/s Proximity The drops to be Very simple print Requires close Silverbrook, EP printed are selected by head fabrication can proximity between 0771 658 A2 and some manner (e.g. be used the print head and related patent thermally induced The drop the print media or applications surface tension selection means transfer roller reduction of does not need to May require two pressurized ink). provide the energy print heads printing Selected drops are required to separate alternate rows of the separated from the ink the drop from the image in the nozzle by nozzle Monolithic color contact with the print print heads are medium or a transfer difficult roller. Electrostatic The drops to be Very simple print Requires very Silverbrook, EP pull printed are selected by head fabrication can high electrostatic 0771 658 A2 and on ink some manner (e.g. be used field related patent thermally induced The drop Electrostatic field applications surface tension selection means for small nozzle Tone-Jet reduction of does not need to sizes is above air pressurized ink). provide the energy breakdown Selected drops are required to separate Electrostatic field separated from the ink the drop from the may attract dust in the nozzle by a nozzle strong electric field. Magnetic The drops to be Very simple print Requires Silverbrook, EP pull on ink printed are selected by head fabrication can magnetic ink 0771 658 A2 and some manner (e.g. be used Ink colors other related patent thermally induced The drop than black are applications surface tension selection means difficult reduction of does not need to Requires very pressurized ink). provide the energy high magnetic fields Selected drops are required to separate separated from the ink the drop from the in the nozzle by a nozzle strong magnetic field acting on the magnetic ink. Shutter The actuator moves a High speed (>50 kHz) Moving parts are IJ13, IJ17, IJ21 shutter to block ink operation can required flow to the nozzle. The be achieved due to Requires ink ink pressure is pulsed reduced refill time pressure modulator at a multiple of the Drop timing can Friction and wear drop ejection be very accurate must be considered frequency. The actuator Stiction is energy can be very possible low Shuttered The actuator moves a Actuators with Moving parts are IJ08, IJ15, IJ18, grill shutter to block ink small travel can be required IJ19 flow through a grill to used Requires ink the nozzle. The shutter Actuators with pressure modulator movement need only small force can be Friction and wear be equal to the width used must be considered of the grill holes. High speed (>50 kHz) Stiction is operation can possible be achieved Pulsed A pulsed magnetic Extremely low Requires an IJ10 magnetic field attracts an ‘ink energy operation is external pulsed pull on ink pusher’ at the drop possible magnetic field pusher ejection frequency. An No heat Requires special actuator controls a dissipation materials for both catch, which prevents problems the actuator and the the ink pusher from ink pusher moving when a drop is Complex not to be ejected. construction

AUXILIARY MECHANISM (APPLIED TO ALL NOZZLES) Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples None The actuator directly Simplicity of Drop ejection Most ink jets, fires the ink drop, and construction energy must be including there is no external Simplicity of supplied by piezoelectric and field or other operation individual nozzle thermal bubble. mechanism required. Small physical actuator IJ01, IJ02, IJ03, size IJ04, IJ05, IJ07, IJ09, IJ11, IJ12, IJ14, IJ20, IJ22, IJ23, IJ24, IJ25, IJ26, IJ27, IJ28, IJ29, IJ30, IJ31, IJ32, IJ33, IJ34, IJ35, IJ36, IJ37, IJ38, IJ39, IJ40, IJ41, IJ42, IJ43, IJ44 Oscillating The ink pressure Oscillating ink Requires external Silverbrook, EP ink pressure oscillates, providing pressure can provide ink pressure 0771 658 A2 and (including much of the drop a refill pulse, oscillator related patent acoustic ejection energy. The allowing higher Ink pressure applications stimulation) actuator selects which operating speed phase and amplitude IJ08, IJ13, IJ15, drops are to be fired The actuators must be carefully IJ17, IJ18, IJ19, by selectively may operate with controlled IJ21 blocking or enabling much lower energy Acoustic nozzles. The ink Acoustic lenses reflections in the ink pressure oscillation can be used to focus chamber must be may be achieved by the sound on the designed for vibrating the print nozzles head, or preferably by an actuator in the ink supply. Media The print head is Low power Precision Silverbrook, EP proximity placed in close High accuracy assembly required 0771 658 A2 and proximity to the print Simple print head Paper fibers may related patent medium. Selected construction cause problems applications drops protrude from Cannot print on the print head further rough substrates than unselected drops, and contact the print medium. The drop soaks into the medium fast enough to cause drop separation. Transfer Drops are printed to a High accuracy Bulky Silverbrook, EP roller transfer roller instead Wide range of Expensive 0771 658 A2 and of straight to the print print substrates can Complex related patent medium. A transfer be used construction applications roller can also be used Ink can be dried Tektronix hot for proximity drop on the transfer roller melt piezoelectric separation. ink jet Any of the IJ series Electrostatic An electric field is Low power Field strength Silverbrook, EP used to accelerate Simple print head required for 0771 658 A2 and selected drops towards construction separation of small related patent the print medium. drops is near or applications above air Tone-Jet breakdown Direct A magnetic field is Low power Requires Silverbrook, EP magnetic used to accelerate Simple print head magnetic ink 0771 658 A2 and field selected drops of construction Requires strong related patent magnetic ink towards magnetic field applications the print medium. Cross The print head is Does not require Requires external IJ06, IJ16 magnetic placed in a constant magnetic materials magnet field magnetic field. The to be integrated in Current densities Lorenz force in a the print head may be high, current carrying wire manufacturing resulting in is used to move the process electromigration actuator. problems Pulsed A pulsed magnetic Very low power Complex print IJ10 magnetic field is used to operation is possible head construction field cyclically attract a Small print head Magnetic paddle, which pushes size materials required in on the ink. A small print head actuator moves a catch, which selectively prevents the paddle from moving.

ACTUATOR AMPLIFICATION OR MODIFICATION METHOD Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples None No actuator Operational Many actuator Thermal Bubble mechanical simplicity mechanisms have Ink jet amplification is used. insufficient travel, IJ01, IJ02, IJ06, The actuator directly or insufficient force, IJ07, IJ16, IJ25, drives the drop to efficiently drive IJ26 ejection process. the drop ejection process Differential An actuator material Provides greater High stresses are Piezoelectric expansion expands more on one travel in a reduced involved IJ03, IJ09, IJ17, bend side than on the other. print head area Care must be IJ18, IJ19, IJ20, actuator The expansion may be taken that the IJ21, IJ22, IJ23, thermal, piezoelectric, materials do not IJ24, IJ27, IJ29, magnetostrictive, or delaminate IJ30, IJ31, IJ32, other mechanism. The Residual bend IJ33, IJ34, IJ35, bend actuator converts resulting from high IJ36, IJ37, IJ38, a high force low travel temperature or high IJ39, IJ42, IJ43, actuator mechanism to stress during IJ44 high travel, lower formation force mechanism. Transient A trilayer bend Very good High stresses are IJ40, IJ41 bend actuator where the two temperature stability involved actuator outside layers are High speed, as a Care must be identical. This cancels new drop can be taken that the bend due to ambient fired before heat materials do not temperature and dissipates delaminate residual stress. The Cancels residual actuator only responds stress of formation to transient heating of one side or the other. Reverse The actuator loads a Better coupling Fabrication IJ05, IJ11 spring spring. When the to the ink complexity actuator is turned off, High stress in the the spring releases. spring This can reverse the force/distance curve of the actuator to make it compatible with the force/time requirements of the drop ejection. Actuator A series of thin Increased travel Increased Some stack actuators are stacked. Reduced drive fabrication piezoelectric ink jets This can be voltage complexity IJ04 appropriate where Increased actuators require high possibility of short electric field strength, circuits due to such as electrostatic pinholes and piezoelectric actuators. Multiple Multiple smaller Increases the Actuator forces IJ12, IJ13, IJ18, actuators actuators are used force available from may not add IJ20, IJ22, IJ28, simultaneously to an actuator linearly, reducing IJ42, IJ43 move the ink. Each Multiple efficiency actuator need provide actuators can be only a portion of the positioned to control force required. ink flow accurately Linear A linear spring is used Matches low Requires print IJ15 Spring to transform a motion travel actuator with head area for the with small travel and higher travel spring high force into a requirements longer travel, lower Non-contact force motion. method of motion transformation Coiled A bend actuator is Increases travel Generally IJ17, IJ21, IJ34, actuator coiled to provide Reduces chip restricted to planar IJ35 greater travel in a area implementations reduced chip area. Planar due to extreme implementations are fabrication difficulty relatively easy to in other orientations. fabricate. Flexure A bend actuator has a Simple means of Care must be IJ10, IJ19, IJ33 bend small region near the increasing travel of taken not to exceed actuator fixture point, which a bend actuator the elastic limit in flexes much more the flexure area readily than the Stress remainder of the distribution is very actuator. The actuator uneven flexing is effectively Difficult to converted from an accurately model even coiling to an with finite element angular bend, resulting analysis in greater travel of the actuator tip. Catch The actuator controls a Very low Complex IJ10 small catch. The catch actuator energy construction either enables or Very small Requires external disables movement of actuator size force an ink pusher that is Unsuitable for controlled in a bulk pigmented inks manner. Gears Gears can be used to Low force, low Moving parts are IJ13 increase travel at the travel actuators can required expense of duration. be used Several actuator Circular gears, rack Can be fabricated cycles are required and pinion, ratchets, using standard More complex and other gearing surface MEMS drive electronics methods can be used. processes Complex construction Friction, friction, and wear are possible Buckle plate A buckle plate can be Very fast Must stay within S. Hirata et al, used to change a slow movement elastic limits of the “An Ink-jet Head actuator into a fast achievable materials for long Using Diaphragm motion. It can also device life Microactuator”, convert a high force, High stresses Proc. IEEE MEMS, low travel actuator involved February 1996, pp 418-423. into a high travel, Generally high IJ18, IJ27 medium force motion. power requirement Tapered A tapered magnetic Linearizes the Complex IJ14 magnetic pole can increase magnetic construction pole travel at the expense force/distance curve of force. Lever A lever and fulcrum is Matches low High stress IJ32, IJ36, IJ37 used to transform a travel actuator with around the fulcrum motion with small higher travel travel and high force requirements into a motion with Fulcrum area has longer travel and no linear movement, lower force. The lever and can be used for can also reverse the a fluid seal direction of travel. Rotary The actuator is High mechanical Complex IJ28 impeller connected to a rotary advantage construction impeller. A small The ratio of force Unsuitable for angular deflection of to travel of the pigmented inks the actuator results in actuator can be a rotation of the matched to the impeller vanes, which nozzle requirements push the ink against by varying the stationary vanes and number of impeller out of the nozzle. vanes Acoustic A refractive or No moving parts Large area 1993 Hadimioglu lens diffractive (e.g. zone required et al, EUP 550,192 plate) acoustic lens is Only relevant for 1993 Elrod et al, used to concentrate acoustic ink jets EUP 572,220 sound waves. Sharp A sharp point is used Simple Difficult to Tone-jet conductive to concentrate an construction fabricate using point electrostatic field. standard VLSI processes for a surface ejecting ink- jet Only relevant for electrostatic ink jets

ACTUATOR MOTION Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Volume The volume of the Simple High energy is Hewlett-Packard expansion actuator changes, construction in the typically required to Thermal Ink jet pushing the ink in all case of thermal ink achieve volume Canon Bubblejet directions. jet expansion. This leads to thermal stress, cavitation, and kogation in thermal ink jet implementations Linear, The actuator moves in Efficient High fabrication IJ01, IJ02, IJ04, normal to a direction normal to coupling to ink complexity may be IJ07, IJ11, IJ14 chip surface the print head surface. drops ejected required to achieve The nozzle is typically normal to the perpendicular in the line of surface motion movement. Parallel to The actuator moves Suitable for Fabrication IJ12, IJ13, IJ15, chip surface parallel to the print planar fabrication complexity IJ33,, IJ34, IJ35, head surface. Drop Friction IJ36 ejection may still be Stiction normal to the surface. Membrane An actuator with a The effective Fabrication 1982 Howkins push high force but small area of the actuator complexity U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,601 area is used to push a becomes the Actuator size stiff membrane that is membrane area Difficulty of in contact with the ink. integration in a VLSI process Rotary The actuator causes Rotary levers Device IJ05, IJ08, IJ13, the rotation of some may be used to complexity IJ28 element, such a grill or increase travel May have impeller Small chip area friction at a pivot requirements point Bend The actuator bends A very small Requires the 1970 Kyser et al when energized. This change in actuator to be made U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,398 may be due to dimensions can be from at least two 1973 Stemme differential thermal converted to a large distinct layers, or to U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,120 expansion, motion. have a thermal IJ03, IJ09, IJ10, piezoelectric difference across the IJ19, IJ23, IJ24, expansion, actuator IJ25, IJ29, IJ30, magnetostriction, or IJ31, IJ33, IJ34, other form of relative IJ35 dimensional change. Swivel The actuator swivels Allows operation Inefficient IJ06 around a central pivot. where the net linear coupling to the ink This motion is suitable force on the paddle motion where there are is zero opposite forces Small chip area applied to opposite requirements sides of the paddle, e.g. Lorenz force. Straighten The actuator is Can be used with Requires careful IJ26, IJ32 normally bent, and shape memory balance of stresses straightens when alloys where the to ensure that the energized. austenic phase is quiescent bend is planar accurate Double The actuator bends in One actuator can Difficult to make IJ36, IJ37, IJ38 bend one direction when be used to power the drops ejected by one element is two nozzles. both bend directions energized, and bends Reduced chip identical. the other way when size. A small another element is Not sensitive to efficiency loss energized. ambient temperature compared to equivalent single bend actuators. Shear Energizing the Can increase the Not readily 1985 Fishbeck actuator causes a shear effective travel of applicable to other U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,590 motion in the actuator piezoelectric actuator material. actuators mechanisms Radial constriction The actuator squeezes Relatively easy High force 1970 Zoltan U.S. Pat. No. an ink reservoir, to fabricate single required 3,683,212 forcing ink from a nozzles from glass Inefficient constricted nozzle. tubing as Difficult to macroscopic integrate with VLSI structures processes Coil/uncoil A coiled actuator Easy to fabricate Difficult to IJ17, IJ21, IJ34, uncoils or coils more as a planar VLSI fabricate for non- IJ35 tightly. The motion of process planar devices the free end of the Small area Poor out-of-plane actuator ejects the ink. required, therefore stiffness low cost Bow The actuator bows (or Can increase the Maximum travel IJ16, IJ18, IJ27 buckles) in the middle speed of travel is constrained when energized. Mechanically High force rigid required Push-Pull Two actuators control The structure is Not readily IJ18 a shutter. One actuator pinned at both ends, suitable for ink jets pulls the shutter, and so has a high out-of- which directly push the other pushes it. plane rigidity the ink Curl A set of actuators curl Good fluid flow Design IJ20, IJ42 inwards inwards to reduce the to the region behind complexity volume of ink that the actuator they enclose. increases efficiency Curl A set of actuators curl Relatively simple Relatively large IJ43 outwards outwards, pressurizing construction chip area ink in a chamber surrounding the actuators, and expelling ink from a nozzle in the chamber. Iris Multiple vanes enclose High efficiency High fabrication IJ22 a volume of ink. These Small chip area complexity simultaneously rotate, Not suitable for reducing the volume pigmented inks between the vanes. Acoustic The actuator vibrates The actuator can Large area 1993 Hadimioglu vibration at a high frequency. be physically distant required for et al, EUP 550,192 from the ink efficient operation 1993 Elrod et al, at useful frequencies EUP 572,220 Acoustic coupling and crosstalk Complex drive circuitry Poor control of drop volume and position None In various ink jet No moving parts Various other Silverbrook, EP designs the actuator tradeoffs are 0771 658 A2 and does not move. required to related patent eliminate moving applications parts Tone-jet

NOZZLE REFILL METHOD Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Surface This is the normal way Fabrication Low speed Thermal ink jet tension that ink jets are simplicity Surface tension Piezoelectric ink refilled. After the Operational force relatively jet actuator is energized, simplicity small compared to IJ01-IJ07, IJ10-IJ14, it typically returns actuator force IJ16, IJ20, rapidly to its normal Long refill time IJ22-IJ45 position. This rapid usually dominates return sucks in air the total repetition through the nozzle rate opening. The ink surface tension at the nozzle then exerts a small force restoring the meniscus to a minimum area. This force refills the nozzle. Shuttered Ink to the nozzle High speed Requires IJ08, IJ13, IJ15, oscillating chamber is provided at Low actuator common ink IJ17, IJ18, IJ19, ink pressure a pressure that energy, as the pressure oscillator IJ21 oscillates at twice the actuator need only May not be drop ejection open or close the suitable for frequency. When a shutter, instead of pigmented inks drop is to be ejected, ejecting the ink drop the shutter is opened for 3 half cycles: drop ejection, actuator return, and refill. The shutter is then closed to prevent the nozzle chamber emptying during the next negative pressure cycle. Refill After the main High speed, as Requires two IJ09 actuator actuator has ejected a the nozzle is independent drop a second (refill) actively refilled actuators per nozzle actuator is energized. The refill actuator pushes ink into the nozzle chamber. The refill actuator returns slowly, to prevent its return from emptying the chamber again. Positive ink The ink is held a slight High refill rate, Surface spill Silverbrook, EP pressure positive pressure. therefore a high must be prevented 0771 658 A2 and After the ink drop is drop repetition rate Highly related patent ejected, the nozzle is possible hydrophobic print applications chamber fills quickly head surfaces are Alternative for:, as surface tension and required IJ01-IJ07, IJ10-IJ14, ink pressure both IJ16, IJ20, IJ22-IJ45 operate to refill the nozzle.

METHOD OF RESTRICTING BACK-FLOW THROUGH INLET Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Long inlet The ink inlet channel Design simplicity Restricts refill Thermal ink jet channel to the nozzle chamber Operational rate Piezoelectric ink is made long and simplicity May result in a jet relatively narrow, Reduces relatively large chip IJ42, IJ43 relying on viscous crosstalk area drag to reduce inlet Only partially back-flow. effective Positive ink The ink is under a Drop selection Requires a Silverbrook, EP pressure positive pressure, so and separation method (such as a 0771 658 A2 and that in the quiescent forces can be nozzle rim or related patent state some of the ink reduced effective applications drop already protrudes Fast refill time hydrophobizing, or Possible from the nozzle. both) to prevent operation of the This reduces the flooding of the following: IJ01-IJ07, pressure in the nozzle ejection surface of IJ09-IJ12, chamber which is the print head. IJ14, IJ16, IJ20, required to eject a IJ22,, IJ23-IJ34, certain volume of ink. IJ36-IJ41, IJ44 The reduction in chamber pressure results in a reduction in ink pushed out through the inlet. Baffle One or more baffles The refill rate is Design HP Thermal Ink are placed in the inlet not as restricted as complexity Jet ink flow. When the the long inlet May increase Tektronix actuator is energized, method. fabrication piezoelectric ink jet the rapid ink Reduces complexity (e.g. movement creates crosstalk Tektronix hot melt eddies which restrict Piezoelectric print the flow through the heads). inlet. The slower refill process is unrestricted, and does not result in eddies. Flexible flap In this method recently Significantly Not applicable to Canon restricts disclosed by Canon, reduces back-flow most ink jet inlet the expanding actuator for edge-shooter configurations (bubble) pushes on a thermal ink jet Increased flexible flap that devices fabrication restricts the inlet. complexity Inelastic deformation of polymer flap results in creep over extended use Inlet filter A filter is located Additional Restricts refill IJ04, IJ12, IJ24, between the ink inlet advantage of ink rate IJ27, IJ29, IJ30 and the nozzle filtration May result in chamber. The filter Ink filter may be complex has a multitude of fabricated with no construction small holes or slots, additional process restricting ink flow. steps The filter also removes particles which may block the nozzle. Small inlet The ink inlet channel Design simplicity Restricts refill IJ02, IJ37, IJ44 compared to the nozzle chamber rate to nozzle has a substantially May result in a smaller cross section relatively large chip than that of the nozzle, area resulting in easier ink Only partially egress out of the effective nozzle than out of the inlet. Inlet shutter A secondary actuator Increases speed Requires separate IJ09 controls the position of of the ink-jet print refill actuator and a shutter, closing off head operation drive circuit the ink inlet when the main actuator is energized. The inlet is The method avoids the Back-flow Requires careful IJ01, IJ03, IJ05, located problem of inlet back- problem is design to minimize IJ06, IJ07, IJ10, behind the flow by arranging the eliminated the negative IJ11, IJ14, IJ16, ink-pushing ink-pushing surface of pressure behind the IJ22, IJ23, IJ25, surface the actuator between paddle IJ28, IJ31, IJ32, the inlet and the IJ33, IJ34, IJ35, nozzle. IJ36, IJ39, IJ40, IJ41 Part of the The actuator and a Significant Small increase in IJ07, IJ20, IJ26, actuator wall of the ink reductions in back- fabrication IJ38 moves to chamber are arranged flow can be complexity shut off the so that the motion of achieved inlet the actuator closes off Compact designs the inlet. possible Nozzle In some configurations Ink back-flow None related to Silverbrook, EP actuator of ink jet, there is no problem is ink back-flow on 0771 658 A2 and does not expansion or eliminated actuation related patent result in ink movement of an applications back-flow actuator which may Valve-jet cause ink back-flow Tone-jet through the inlet.

Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples NOZZLE CLEARING METHOD Normal All of the nozzles are No added May not be Most ink jet nozzle firing fired periodically, complexity on the sufficient to systems before the ink has a print head displace dried ink IJ01, IJ02, IJ03, chance to dry. When IJ04, IJ05, IJ06, not in use the nozzles IJ07, IJ09, IJ10, are sealed (capped) IJ11, IJ12, IJ14, against air. IJ16, IJ20, IJ22, The nozzle firing is IJ23, IJ24, IJ25, usually performed IJ26, IJ27, IJ28, during a special IJ29, IJ30, IJ31, clearing cycle, after IJ32, IJ33, IJ34, first moving the print IJ36, IJ37, IJ38, head to a cleaning IJ39, IJ40,, IJ41, station. IJ42, IJ43, IJ44,, IJ45 Extra In systems which heat Can be highly Requires higher Silverbrook, EP power to the ink, but do not boil effective if the drive voltage for 0771 658 A2 and ink heater it under normal heater is adjacent to clearing related patent situations, nozzle the nozzle May require applications clearing can be larger drive achieved by over- transistors powering the heater and boiling ink at the nozzle. Rapid The actuator is fired in Does not require Effectiveness May be used succession rapid succession. In extra drive circuits depends with: IJ01, IJ02, of actuator some configurations, on the print head substantially upon IJ03, IJ04, IJ05, pulses this may cause heat Can be readily the configuration of IJ06, IJ07, IJ09, build-up at the nozzle controlled and the ink jet nozzle IJ10, IJ11, IJ14, which boils the ink, initiated by digital IJ16, IJ20, IJ22, clearing the nozzle. In logic IJ23, IJ24, IJ25, other situations, it may IJ27, IJ28, IJ29, cause sufficient IJ30, IJ31, IJ32, vibrations to dislodge IJ33, IJ34, IJ36, clogged nozzles. IJ37, IJ38, IJ39, IJ40, IJ41, IJ42, IJ43, IJ44, IJ45 Extra Where an actuator is A simple Not suitable May be used power to not normally driven to solution where where there is a with: IJ03, IJ09, ink pushing the limit of its motion, applicable hard limit to IJ16, IJ20, IJ23, actuator nozzle clearing may be actuator movement IJ24, IJ25, IJ27, assisted by providing IJ29, IJ30, IJ31, an enhanced drive IJ32, IJ39, IJ40, signal to the actuator. IJ41, IJ42, IJ43, IJ44, IJ45 Acoustic An ultrasonic wave is A high nozzle High IJ08, IJ13, IJ15, resonance applied to the ink clearing capability implementation cost IJ17, IJ18, IJ19, chamber. This wave is can be achieved if system does not IJ21 of an appropriate May be already include an amplitude and implemented at very acoustic actuator frequency to cause low cost in systems sufficient force at the which already nozzle to clear include acoustic blockages. This is actuators easiest to achieve if the ultrasonic wave is at a resonant frequency of the ink cavity. Nozzle A microfabricated Can clear Accurate Silverbrook, EP clearing plate is pushed against severely clogged mechanical 0771 658 A2 and plate the nozzles. The plate nozzles alignment is related patent has a post for every required applications nozzle. A post moves Moving parts are through each nozzle, required displacing dried ink. There is risk of damage to the nozzles Accurate fabrication is required Ink The pressure of the ink May be effective Requires May be used pressure is temporarily where other pressure pump or with all IJ series ink pulse increased so that ink methods cannot be other pressure jets streams from all of the used actuator nozzles. This may be Expensive used in conjunction Wasteful of ink with actuator energizing. Print head A flexible ‘blade’ is Effective for Difficult to use if Many ink jet wiper wiped across the print planar print head print head surface is systems head surface. The surfaces non-planar or very blade is usually Low cost fragile fabricated from a Requires flexible polymer, e.g. mechanical parts rubber or synthetic Blade can wear elastomer. out in high volume print systems Separate A separate heater is Can be effective Fabrication Can be used with ink boiling provided at the nozzle where other nozzle complexity many IJ series ink heater although the normal clearing methods jets drop e-ection cannot be used mechanism does not Can be require it. The heaters implemented at no do not require additional cost in individual drive some ink jet circuits, as many configurations nozzles can be cleared simultaneously, and no imaging is required. NOZZLE PLATE CONSTRUCTION Electroformed A nozzle plate is Fabrication High Hewlett Packard nickel separately fabricated simplicity temperatures and Thermal Ink jet from electroformed pressures are nickel, and bonded to required to bond the print head chip. nozzle plate Minimum thickness constraints Differential thermal expansion Laser Individual nozzle No masks Each hole must Canon Bubblejet ablated or holes are ablated by an required be individually 1988 Sercel et drilled intense UV laser in a Can be quite fast formed al., SPIE, Vol. 998 polymer nozzle plate, which is Some control Special Excimer Beam typically a polymer over nozzle profile equipment required Applications, pp. such as polyimide or is possible Slow where there 76-83 polysulphone Equipment are many thousands 1993 Watanabe required is relatively of nozzles per print et al., U.S. Pat. No. low cost head 5,208,604 May produce thin burrs at exit holes Silicon A separate nozzle High accuracy is Two part K. Bean, IEEE micromachined plate is attainable construction Transactions on micromachined from High cost Electron Devices, single crystal silicon, Requires Vol. ED-25, No. 10, and bonded to the precision alignment 1978, pp 1185-1195 print head wafer. Nozzles may be Xerox 1990 clogged by adhesive Hawkins et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,181 Glass Fine glass capillaries No expensive Very small 1970 Zoltan U.S. Pat. No. capillaries are drawn from glass equipment required nozzle sizes are 3,683,212 tubing. This method Simple to make difficult to form has been used for single nozzles Not suited for making individual mass production nozzles, but is difficult to use for bulk manufacturing of print heads with thousands of nozzles. Monolithic, The nozzle plate is High accuracy Requires Silverbrook, EP surface deposited as a layer (<1 μm) sacrificial layer 0771 658 A2 and micromachined using standard VLSI Monolithic under the nozzle related patent using VLSI deposition techniques. Low cost plate to form the applications litho- Nozzles are etched in Existing nozzle chamber IJ01, IJ02, IJ04, graphic the nozzle plate using processes can be Surface may be IJ11, IJ12, IJ17, processes VLSI lithography and used fragile to the touch IJ18, IJ20, IJ22, etching. IJ24, IJ27, IJ28, IJ29, IJ30, IJ31, IJ32, IJ33, IJ34, IJ36, IJ37, IJ38, IJ39, IJ40, IJ41, IJ42, IJ43, IJ44 NOZZLE CLEARING METHOD Monolithic, The nozzle plate is a High accuracy Requires long IJ03, IJ05, IJ06, etched buried etch stop in the (<1 μm) etch times IJ07, IJ08, IJ09, through wafer. Nozzle Monolithic Requires a IJ10, IJ13, IJ14, substrate chambers are etched in Low cost support wafer IJ15, IJ16, IJ19, the front of the wafer, No differential IJ21, IJ23, IJ25, and the wafer is expansion IJ26 thinned from the back side. Nozzles are then etched in the etch stop layer. No nozzle Various methods have No nozzles to Difficult to Ricoh 1995 plate been tried to eliminate become clogged control drop Sekiya et al U.S. Pat. No. the nozzles entirely, to position accurately 5,412,413 prevent nozzle Crosstalk 1993 Hadimioglu clogging. These problems et al EUP 550,192 include thermal bubble 1993 Elrod et al mechanisms and EUP 572,220 acoustic lens mechanisms Trough Each drop ejector has Reduced Drop firing IJ35 a trough through manufacturing direction is sensitive which a paddle moves. complexity to wicking. There is no nozzle Monolithic plate. Nozzle slit The elimination of No nozzles to Difficult to 1989 Saito et al instead of nozzle holes and become clogged control drop U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,068 individual replacement by a slit position accurately nozzles encompassing many Crosstalk actuator positions problems reduces nozzle clogging, but increases crosstalk due to ink surface waves

DROP EJECTION DIRECTION Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Edge Ink flow is along the Simple Nozzles limited Canon Bubblejet (‘edge surface of the chip, construction to edge 1979 Endo et al GB shooter’) and ink drops are No silicon High resolution patent 2,007,162 ejected from the chip etching required is difficult Xerox heater-in- edge. Good heat Fast color pit 1990 Hawkins et sinking via substrate printing requires al U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,181 Mechanically one print head per Tone-jet strong color Ease of chip handing Surface Ink flow is along the No bulk silicon Maximum ink Hewlett-Packard (‘roof surface of the chip, etching required flow is severely TIJ 1982 Vaught et shooter’) and ink drops are Silicon can make restricted al U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,728 ejected from the chip an effective heat IJ02, IJ11, IJ12, surface, normal to the sink IJ20, IJ22 plane of the chip. Mechanical strength Through Ink flow is through the High ink flow Requires bulk Silverbrook, EP chip, chip, and ink drops are Suitable for silicon etching 0771 658 A2 and forward ejected from the front pagewidth print related patent (‘up surface of the chip. heads applications shooter’) High nozzle IJ04, IJ17, IJ18, packing density IJ24, IJ27-IJ45 therefore low manufacturing cost Through Ink flow is through the High ink flow Requires wafer IJ01, IJ03, IJ05, chip, chip, and ink drops are Suitable for thinning IJ06, IJ07, IJ08, reverse ejected from the rear pagewidth print Requires special IJ09, IJ10, IJ13, (‘down surface of the chip. heads handling during IJ14, IJ15, IJ16, shooter’) High nozzle manufacture IJ19, IJ21, IJ23, packing density IJ25, IJ26 therefore low manufacturing cost Through Ink flow is through the Suitable for Pagewidth print Epson Stylus actuator actuator, which is not piezoelectric print heads require Tektronix hot fabricated as part of heads several thousand melt piezoelectric the same substrate as connections to drive ink jets the drive transistors. circuits Cannot be manufactured in standard CMOS fabs Complex assembly required

INK TYPE Description Advantages Disadvantages Examples Aqueous, Water based ink which Environmentally Slow drying Most existing ink dye typically contains: friendly Corrosive jets water, dye, surfactant, No odor Bleeds on paper All IJ series ink humectant, and May jets biocide. strikethrough Silverbrook, EP Modern ink dyes have Cockles paper 0771 658 A2 and high water-fastness, related patent light fastness applications Aqueous, Water based ink which Environmentally Slow drying IJ02, IJ04, IJ21, pigment typically contains: friendly Corrosive IJ26, IJ27, IJ30 water, pigment, No odor Pigment may Silverbrook, EP surfactant, humectant, Reduced bleed clog nozzles 0771 658 A2 and and biocide. Reduced wicking Pigment may related patent Pigments have an Reduced clog actuator applications advantage in reduced strikethrough mechanisms Piezoelectric ink- bleed, wicking and Cockles paper jets strikethrough. Thermal ink jets (with significant restrictions) Methyl MEK is a highly Very fast drying Odorous All IJ series ink Ethyl volatile solvent used Prints on various Flammable jets Ketone for industrial printing substrates such as (MEK) on difficult surfaces metals and plastics such as aluminum cans. Alcohol Alcohol based inks Fast drying Slight odor All IJ series ink (ethanol, 2- can be used where the Operates at sub- Flammable jets butanol, printer must operate at freezing and others) temperatures below temperatures the freezing point of Reduced paper water. An example of cockle this is in-camera Low cost consumer photographic printing. Phase The ink is solid at No drying time- High viscosity Tektronix hot change room temperature, and ink instantly freezes Printed ink melt piezoelectric (hot melt) is melted in the print on the print medium typically has a ink jets head before jetting. Almost any print ‘waxy’ feel 1989 Nowak Hot melt inks are medium can be used Printed pages U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,346 usually wax based, No paper cockle may ‘block’ All IJ series ink with a melting point occurs Ink temperature jets around 80° C. After No wicking may be above the jetting the ink freezes occurs curie point of almost instantly upon No bleed occurs permanent magnets contacting the print No strikethrough Ink heaters medium or a transfer occurs consume power roller. Long warm-up time Oil Oil based inks are High solubility High viscosity: All IJ series ink extensively used in medium for some this is a significant jets offset printing. They dyes limitation for use in have advantages in Does not cockle ink jets, which improved paper usually require a characteristics on Does not wick low viscosity. Some paper (especially no through paper short chain and wicking or cockle). multi-branched oils Oil soluble dies and have a sufficiently pigments are required. low viscosity. Slow drying Microemulsion A microemulsion is a Stops ink bleed Viscosity higher All IJ series ink stable, self forming High dye than water jets emulsion of oil, water, solubility Cost is slightly and surfactant. The Water, oil, and higher than water characteristic drop size amphiphilic soluble based ink is less than 100 nm, dies can be used High surfactant and is determined by Can stabilize concentration the preferred curvature pigment required (around of the surfactant. suspensions 5%) 

1. A method of operating a nozzle chamber having a floor and a roof, said roof defining an ink ejection port and a plurality of actuators positioned about said ink ejection port, each actuator comprising a heater element arranged in signal communication with a CMOS layer of an underlying substrate, said method comprising the steps of: supplying the nozzle chamber with ink; passing current through each of the heater elements for a predetermined period of time to produce thermal expansion of the heater element; and bending each of the actuators towards the floor of the nozzle chamber, thereby to increase a chamber ink pressure and eject ink from the ejection port.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the CMOS layer defines power and drive circuitry for controlling the heater element of each actuator.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said actuators are radially positioned about the ink ejection port in a petal formation. 